Katie Hale lives in Cumbria, where she runs poetry workshops in schools and hosts Word Mess open mic night. She was a Barbican Young Poet in 2011-12 and has an MLitt in Creative Writing from the University of St Andrews. Her work has appeared widely in magazines, journals and anthologies, such as Poetry Review, The North and Interpreter's House. She also writes for theatre and her writing placements include Young Poet in Residence at Theatre by the Lake. Breaking the Surface is her debut pamphlet.

"Katie Hale's nimble poems, attuned to both the mythic and the quotidian, are full of the delighted surprise and sadness of being alive. Read them and be thrilled." - Jacob Polley